Vehicle-fender.



D. GHEZZI.

VEHICLE FENDER.

APPLCATIoN FILED JUNE1o,1o1a

1,083,824, Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

ff? f my@ v v 6 J6 v v v (514 ATTORNEYS UNTTED STATES OFFICE.

DQMIZIO GHEZZI, F NEXV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF 01\TE.-HALF T0 ANGELO ZERBARIN; OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

VEHICLE-FENDER.

rosanna.

Specification of Letters Patent.

.application led lune 10, 1913.'

Patented Jan. i8., 1914. Serial No. 772,772.

lTo all whom/it may concern:

lBeit known that 4I, DoMiZIo Gnnzzr, a

fjsubjeot of the 'King of Italy, and a resident of the oity of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New rYork, have'invented a new and Improved Vehicle-Fender, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Among the principal. objects which the present invention has in View are: to prcvide an,,apparatusv of the character named having a yielding buffer and grasping arms arranged to support a body from falling; to provide means whereon the body may rest or recline` after being lifted froml the y ground; and to simplify and economize the i showing in vertical sectionthe bulfensupportingiarms and. mounting therefor; and

' Fig. l1 is a detail View showing lthe trigger latch employed for holding the supporting arms in outspread position. ,Y

As seen in the accompanying drawings, the fender is'rnounted upon the automobile A structure to extend forward of the wheels thereof, the means for supporting the same embodying primarily a relatively rigid bowshaped frame 9. The ends of the frame 9 are advanced in a forward direction, and are there provided with collars 10 adapted to receive in holding relation a pneumatic tube 11 when the same is drawn taut between the collars 10. lThe pneuinatic tube 11 is formed to ,a suitable size, and is provided in a conventional manner with means `for iniating the same.

Thetube 11 serves as a buffer, against y .which the body of the person may strike.

The tube cushions' the blow upon the body, to avoid imparting injury or hurt to the I person struck. thereby.I Also, the resiliency or yield of the tube 11 is relatively univervsal in its entire length. Aboutmidway, the 55 tube fis provided with a rearwardly-estending arm 12', which is pivot-ally connected willi a forked bell crank lever 13, said lever being mounted on alpivot pin 14 'extending through bearings provided therefor in a bracket 15. When the tube 11 is struck and forced backward, the lever 13 is rocked on its pivot pin 111 to depress. the rearward arm of said lever.

Pivotally connected with the arm of the lever 13 is a trigger latch. 16. The latch 16 is yokeshaped, having two upstanding arms 17 spread to'be interposed in t-hepath of supporting arms 18 to prevent the closure thereof. The arms 18 are pivotally mounted on a vertical shaft 19, which is extended from the top of the bracket 15, as shown liest in Fig; 3 of the drawings. l

Intermediate the bracket 15 and the arms 18 is a spiral spring Q0 wound about the shaft 19 and forming a seat for the arms 18. The terminals 21 of the spring 2O extend upward behind the arms 18, and operate to close saidA arms upon each other forward of the vehicle and of the tube 11 mounted thereon.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that whenever a person is struck by the tube 11 of a fender constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention, the trigger latch 16 is depressed to remove the 'arms 17 thereof from holding relation with the arms 18, which are then closed upon each other by the spring 20, each branch of the arm being at liberty to move independently 'of the other arm. In this manner, it will be seen that whether the body struck be ccntrally disposed with reference to the vehicle or the fender, the arms 18 will close upon the body to prevent the body from being knocked to the ground.

After the fender has been operated by striking the body, and the arms 18 have` operated in the manner described, to reset the same is asimple operation, it being required only that the arms 18 shall be spread and forced backward behind the arms 17 of the latch 1G. The forward pull of the tube 11 will, under all conditions, serve to maintain the latch in its lifted position, to hold .the arms 18.

To form a hammock-like rest o-r pocket, a netting 22 is firmly attached to the frame 9 and to the tube 11. The method of securing the same to Said frame and tube may vary. The simple means of wrapping said frame and tube and sewing the wrapped'portions of the netting has been adopted by me. The netting 22 is preferably arranged to form a slack portion to avoid restraining the action of t-he tube 1l when yielding to the weight of a body.

While the arms 18 willprevent the body falling to the earth, the netting 22 Will serve as a seat to partially support the body, thereby preventing the dragging or trailing of the members of the body in contact With the ground. v

In mounting the fender upon a vehicle, the tube ll may be placed sulciently low to c .atch and carry `a child, while the arms 1S may be disposed so that, if the tube 1l be struck, they will grasp a person at the height of the hips, waist or shoulder.

lVhile lhave herein described with particular-ity the construction and arrangementof the elements of the fender, it will, nevertheless, be understood that the construction and arrangement may be varied to suit the desires or needs of the purchaser or manufacturer, and this without altering the scope of the present invention.

l. A vehicle fender, comprising a supportingI frame the ends whereof are curved forwardly to a point in advance of the wheels of a vehicle and the body thereof; a pneumatic tube stretched between the ends of said Supporting frame; a plurality of curved arms pivotally mounted on said frame, said arms being curved to correspond with said supporting frame; a coil spring operatively engaging said arms to fold the saine together; a latch mounted on said frame to fold said arms out of operation; and a lever operatively connecting said latch and said pneumatic tube to be operated by said tube to release said arms when the tube strikes a relatively stationary body.

roeaeaaV 2. A vehicle fender, comprising a supporting frame the ends whereof are curved forwardly to apoint in advance of the wheels of a vehicle and the body thereof; a pneumatic tube stretehed between the ends of said supporting frame; a plurality of curved arms pivotally mounted on said frame, said arms being curved to correspond with said supporting frame; a coil spring operatively engaging said arms to fold the same* toget ier; a latch mounted on said frame to fold said arms out ofoperation; a lever operatively connecting said latch and said pneumatic tube to be operated by said tube to release said arms when said tube strikes a relatively stationary body; and a supporting fabjhi@` structurally connected with said frame and said tube.

3. A vehicle fender, comprising a supporting frame the ends whereof are curved forwardly to a point in advance of the Wheels of a vehicle and the"bod v thereof; a pneumatic tube stretched between the ends of said supporting frame; a plurality of curved arms pivotally mounted on said frame, said arms being curved to correspond with said supporting frame, a coil spring operatively engaging said arms to fold the same together; a latch mounted on said frame to fold said arms out of operation; a lever operatively connecting said latch and said arms when said tube strikes a relatively stationary body; and a net operatively uniting said frame and said tube to form a support for a body when ,lifted from the grounc by said tube.

ln testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DOMZIO GllEZZI. lllitnesscs ANGELO Znnnaium, llnsanoo CANTI. 

